I, too, and looking to eventually become a master trainer at 24 Hour Fitness. To become a master trainer you need to hold 4 certifications (3 outside, 1 24 Fitness Cert) and have 2,000 training sessions under your belt. This takes 2 plus years from what I'm told. I have been training at 24 Hour Fitness about six months and I have just obtained my 3rd certification. I have NCSF and NASM in addition to the in-house cert and I am currently pursuing NSCA. But they accept a wide variety of certifications, including ISSA.

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24by: Anonymous

Be independent! It's the best move a personal trainer will ever make

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Master Trainerby: Jon

Everyone has said what you need to become a Master Trainer, and I just want to give you my advice. GO INDEPENDENT once you build your clientele. That company doesn't give a s*** about you and if you don't average 5 sessions a day there then you wont make a good paycheck. I also recommend selling a minimum of $5,000 per month there or you wont get a good paycheck. I've sold $13,000 in ONE month and that company didn't do s*** for me nor even congradulate me for that. I've worked there for 3 years, became a Master Trainer in 1.5, have BS in Kinesiology, NASM-CPT, NASM-CES, NASM-PES, NSCA CSCS, AFAA, and serviced about 4,000 sessions and also taught bootcamps for group X. with all those certs they don't increase your pay. the only way you will ever increase you pay is if you advance to AFM/FM or above. If management isn't in your career path, then build your clientele and move out because they'll follow you. I recently quit there and started my own business, all my clients followed and with word of mouth and making sessions cheaper i've been able to get more clients. I MADE $4,000 IN 2 WEEKS!!! I also started bootcamps where you charge each person to participate rather then just getting $20 per hour there to teach 30+ people. MORE MONEY INVOLVED IN GOING PRIVATE. Just build your client base and have a smart business plan.

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Master Trainerby: Anonymous

I agree with the trainer above on some of the things to a certain extent. But I look at it like this. I look at it from a franchise perspective. If you purchased a McDonald's franchise you would have to pay a franchise fee, a portion of your profits, insurance, all expenses etc, BUT they supply the clientele. They bring the business to you, so in the long run you will see more business, and about the same profits as a franchise. They provide you with clients on a regular basis. If I have the room, I get 2 or 3 new clients a week! So basically you either service less clients BUT get more money for the clients you service but YOU are responsible for insurance, licenses, utilities, rent, and the advertising to continously get new clients etc. After all of those expenses are deducted out of your earnings, INCLUDING the taxes you're going to have to pay at the end of the year, because unlike a paycheck there are no taxes deducted, so you're going to have to pay taxes on that money. So after you deduct all of the expenses above and the taxes you have to pay at the end of the year do you really make more independent? I've done the numbers. I don't think either way is wrong. To each his own and good luck to all! But I'm projected to make $70,000 as a Master Trainer at 24 Hour Fitness this year, and I'm not a manager. Good luck to all, but this is just my point of view.

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thank you are real master 24 hr trainerby: Anonymous

well hey boys. i got one for you all. hate to rain on your little parade, but the master trainer balogny 24 is selling you is crap!first none of you are even close or entitled to even using the term master trainer. are you nuts? or just the typicial entitilement brat? it takes 10 even 20 years to be a master at anything.do the research for yourself. any thing under 5 is just geting the structure. bailing out to hit the streets under 8 is guareenteed suicide in your gig . and even believing , or thanking taking courses online, or 2 3 day your set? that is stupidity at the hightest order, and mass imiturity as a very non seasoned trainer. sorry it aint gona happen. give you an example , i have ever cert there is every , i mean every , nasm, ifpa, issa, coop, colgan, to name some. as well as all the little modules to other continuing courses they sell. i also have 7000 hrs . and do know what grasshopper, iam not a master trainer, i have the shirt, wont wear it , aint gona. anint gona charge and undermine other trainers, and escepically my clients. and hide the little book lieing about set rates! and do not wanta make extra for those parisites , who suck the blood of guest, trainers , and clients!and the little incompetent , mostly out of shape run of mill trainers. it called being huble , honest in this kind of work. it a word almost extinct, its called integrity.and remember this little wata bees, it a craft , and skill and it not taking courses. think on this if any man be your master , let him be your servent , and guess what thats from the ceo himself. his name is god ! ok next .

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Disappointedby: sorearms

I am just a client at 24 hour fitness, but I am not happy with the "personal" training I received from a "master" trainer. She spent at least 1/2 the time trying to sell me either more training sessions or products, she didn't listen to me and she overworked certain muscle groups in the "cross" training work she did with me so that I can't move my arms! I trusted them and I wish I hadn't.

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Ok, this is rediculousby: Bryan

I hope everyone answered your questions on how to become a Master Trainer. There is some really good info here in a few of the responses, the one that came across that is 2 above mine is a good one, however hard it is to read, damn dude, get an education before you start typing. 24 Hour Fitness is a good place to get started, I have been a trainer for 12 years now and I found that alot of my knowledge of how to maintain a schedule and client base came from working for 24 Hour. Everyone looking to get training must always be careful in the trainer they choose, remember to check that persons certifications and also school background, the certifications are not that difficult to achieve, but the degree in Kinesiology is!! Also look at how they look and carry themselves, I confident and well in shape personal trainer will hold his/her head high and not be "cocky" but very resourceful and helpful with their training. I myself enjoy "teaching" a client how to achieve their goals, showing them the techniques to success and explaining to them as they go the reasoning behing the movements and how to benefit from them. I also enjoy seeing a client branch out and not need me anymore, but know they can also come to me for advice or even a new workout plan if they need one... it's fun, training is a lifestyle and something I truely enjoy! Being a Master Trainer is something that we should all strive to be, but remember that if you are going to wear the t-shirt that you must earn it everyday you train!!!!

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WOWby: Anonymous

Honestly I dont even know how i came upon this site I am a new trainer at 24hr fitnes in Arizona. I actually was the owner of my own independent performnace trianing co and decided to change into the personal training world. Benefit for me is that i am an athlete and with my experience i bring something unique to the table as well as quality training to all levels of fitness.I love training people and getting them to there goals. This is a business so there will always be sales involved how you sell is what make a difference. Right now i have nothing bad to say about my gym hopefull that never chnages. Fortunate for me is that i have a 9-5 so the mediocre pay is not an issue yet. I do plan to get my other certs and get to master trainer pay scale, and maybe move up as far as afm or fm.These post kind of have me worried though , my mindset is that the big gyms have 80 percent of the memebers coming in everyday 7days a week so for a trainer there is alot of opportunity if your focused.Goodluck too all!!!!!

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In response to a few posts aboveby: Steve Rose

thank you are real master 24 hr trainer
by: Anonymous

The only thing the guy who wrote this post ^^^ is a master of is grammatical error. I wouldn't take advice from anyone who can't spell or properly assemble simple sentence structure. IMHO.